HIP #2:

Description: 

Attending a research conference in Long Beach was an exhilarating experience for me. The picturesque surroundings added to my excitement and nervousness while landing in California. There was little time for rest throughout the conference due to the many incredible topics discussed. I was particularly impressed by the topics presented by Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), which were highly informative and ambitious. One particular study discussed further in the reflection was truly remarkable. 

My study, which can be found on this page, discussed perceptions students, staff, and faculty had about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I hypothesized that females, non-Christians, and behavioral science majors would be more likely to endorse reasonable accommodations and therapy for people with ADHD.
I found that females were significantly more likely to endorse the need for accommodations but not therapy or medication. Non-Christians approached significance in endorsing accommodations as opposed to Christians, but not with therapy and medication. Behavioral science majors approached significance in endorsing therapy and medication, but accommodations did not differ. Another interesting finding of my study was that adult males with ADHD were associated more with childhood ADHD (hyperactive/impulsive symptoms) rather than adulthood ADHD (inattention). It's important to note that hyperactivity and impulsivity are more pervasive in childhood; however, these symptoms decrease with age. Females, however, were more associated with symptoms of inattention. Historically, many have worried about whether or not the population is aware that females present with inattention more often in youth. My findings suggest that there is a more accurate perception of ADHD in females in adulthood. At the same time, there remains a stigma surrounding males in adulthood.

Reflection: 

There are several presentations worth discussing; however, let's discuss the most incredible work I encountered. Sophie Camilleri discussed the effects of sexual violence on sexual expression. Sophie hypothesized that sexual trauma influences sexual expression to the extremes, causing either asexual or hypersexual behavior. Her research concluded that sexual trauma is not associated with asexuality but is associated with hypersexuality! Imagine the surprise and intrigue I, and many others, felt learning this. Sophie did a phenomenal job with her research. She obtained a sample of over 100 and conducted this research independently. The amount of time and effort required for such an ambitious project is nothing to scoff at, as I acquired a similar sample size. However, I must acknowledge that my study population was not as vulnerable as hers, which made the approval process for the institutional review board considerably more challenging for her. 

Now, why am I interested in Sophie's project? Her project aligns well with social work and my upcoming internship. Social workers assist vulnerable populations, and I very well may encounter individuals who present with hypersexuality after a traumatic experience. Regarding my internship, I am working to obtain a behavior health technician (BHT) and substance use disorder counselor (SUDC) certifications at SLCC. The BHT will allow me to practice clinically at the associate level. The SUDC will allow me to work with individuals who have developed ineffective or harmful behaviors that are frequent, habitual, and predictable. While the name suggests that it's designed to help individuals who frequently use harmful substances, the skills can be generalized to any concerning behavior. Other behaviors that can become harmful if repeated too often, such as gaming, shopping, eating, or hypersexuality, can be treated using the skills obtained in the SUDC. 

While one can technically treat hypersexuality using the models found in the SUDC, knowing when to utilize those skills is paramount. If the primary and immediate concern with the client is their trauma, I need to ensure they receive proper care; anything short of this is malpractice. I treasure the information I learned from Sophie, as it will help me help others more effectively. 

Other interesting topics discussed included food accessibility at SLCC, presented by my honors peer mentor, Zach. He discussed how food accessibility at SLCC stands to be improved, something I wholeheartedly agree with. My digestive disorder can make eating at SLCC either expensive or scary. At SLCC, I have to decide whether to go broke or hungry. His solutions included providing internships to culinary students to cook affordable meals, something I wholly support. In addition, he shared how he models utilizing school resources for the group of students he manages, particularly with the food pantry. Resources like food pantries are often stigmatized, discouraging those who would otherwise benefit from the service. By modeling the use of resources, he reduces stigmatization and encourages others to use them. 

Overall, the trip was a great learning experience. I learned much and bonded with my peers. I returned to SLCC inspired and motivated to push the boundaries of what has previously been achieved there. After the conference, I felt inspired to improve my research. I want to increase the number of participants in my sample to increase the generalizability of my results. Even with 100 participants, I had to drop variables such as race, ethnicity, other religions, and gender diversity. I want to include those statistics and see what differences arise. 

While collecting survey responses, many individuals asked, "What is ADHD?". I want to ask questions such as "Have you heard about ADHD?", "Do you feel confident you can explain what ADHD is to another person?" and "Do you believe ADHD is real?". Additionally, I want to replace my questions about gender with questions about the influences on ADHD expression. I have yet to break down what questions I will ask; however, they will be noted in a future high-impact practice.